Monday, November 11, 2013

Chennai Anand vs Carlsen World Chess Championship 2013 Media Update:LiveMint has reported that legendary World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov has reached Chennai Monday evening without any welcome from the organisers of the Anand - Carlsen World Chess Championship. Kasparov has himself said that he is in Chennai as a "chess tourist". The legendary Grandmaster is accompanied by his wife Daria.

Arundhati Ramanathan writes, "The 50-year-old legend did not get any attention from the organizers of the world championship match underway in Chennai when he arrived in the city on Monday for a two-day visit to cheer for Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian challenger to Viswanathan Anand’s world title. On Monday, Kasparov checked into Chennai’s Hyatt Regency hotel, where the match is being played, at around 5.20 pm, accompanied by his wife. No one except some hotel officials received him."

In India, Fide vice-president DV Sundar is quoted as saying, Kasparov has come on his own, not at the invitation of the world chess federation, “Who are we to welcome or not welcome him?” he asked.

Kasparov will not be allowed to address the media at the venue of the world chess championship match, a key official said.

“I have been advised by the Indian chess federation that he should not be allowed to enter the media centre (from where Fide officials and the two players have been addressing press conferences),” Arvind Aaron, press officer for the Chennai 2013 world title match, said on Monday.

“In my view, this is a PR (public relations) disaster for the Indian chess federation,” said an Indian Grandmaster, asking not to be named. “In the light of Kasparov’s plans to contest the Fide elections next year, the Indian chess federation got swayed by the political implications of his visit. But this isn’t any way to treat a player of his stature.”

“I am here as a chess tourist,” Kasparov said arriving at the hotel. “It’s a free country.”

When told that the organizers refuse to take note of his visit to Chennai, he said Fide was “concerned” that he could get a lot of media attention in India and that the Indian chess federation wasn’t backing him as Fide president.

The organizers should only make sure that nothing untoward happens during the visit that could “portray (him) in bad light,” Kasparov added.

It isn’t immediately known if the Tamil Nadu government, which is the principal sponsor of the world championship, endorses the Indian chess federation’s stand on Kasparov. Officials in the sports department said on Monday that they had not been briefed on the matter.

Kasparov, who retired from competitive chess is 2005, remains one of the most haloed players ever, having been the world champion for some 15 years till 2000. A part of his reign, though, was disputed because of his rift with Fide. He lost his title to fellow Russian Vladimir Kramnik, whom he tutored for a long time.

Though they passed up the opportunity to pay their respect to Kasparov, the organizers are bracing for a huge turnout of fans at Hyatt Regency hotel on Tuesday when the former world champion turns up to watch Carlsen play Anand in the third of their 12-game match.

Kasparov, who has inspired generations of players, still remains one of the most recalled chess icons anywhere in the world.

A human rights activist who takes interest in Russian politics, Kasparov has announced that he will contest for the president’s post in the Fide election next year. “Unlike with (Vladimir) Putin, at least we can be sure that the votes will be counted,” Kasparov said on Monday, when asked about his chances of winning.

Addressing the media last week, current president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov described Kasparov as a “worthy contestant”, even as he reiterated that he will contest again because heads of national chess federations want him to carry on.

Ilyumzhinov has led Fide since November 2005, having funded the sport since the early 1990s. He committed to bring in at least $10 million for tournaments and for promotion of chess if he is voted to lead the federation for another term.

Like another world chess champion Bobby Fischer before him, Kasparov has repeatedly rebelled against Fide, demanding more money for winning world championships and better television coverage of chess. In 1993, he broke out and founded the Professional Chess Association (PCA) to launch a rival world championship.

The PCA collapsed after holding two world championships—in 1993 and 1995—after one of its key sponsors, chip maker Intel Corp., backed out. But the world championship remained divided for many years until Kramnik won a reunification match in 2006.

Asked why he wanted to contest the Fide election, Kasparov said the current leadership had “missed a lot of opportunities” and that he could bring about meaningful changes, but quickly added that he was in Chennai only to watch the match and wish Carlsen luck.

“I can guarantee that in the next 48 hours, I won’t be campaigning,” he said.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

World Chess Championship 2013 video update: A cool shower to wash away the Chennai heat impacts not Magnus Carlsen's killer instinct. Boyish charms aside, Magnus Carlsen says, "I am the favourite in any tournament I play. I have the supreme belief if I do my best I will win."

Chess' poster boy and his team visited Chennai to inspect the venue of the World Chess Championship, the Hyatt Regency in Chennai. In this interview, Carlsen projects confidence about playing in Chennai and his chances. (Producer: Vijay Kumar Camera: Benjamin Ree)

It's a short interview of the Norwegian chess talent, but you could watch it a couple of times over!

Don't forget to vote in our online poll on the column top right on who will win the World Chess Championship 2013: Viswanathan Anand or Magnus Carlsen?Meanwhile, hope you spotted this fortune cookie Magnus Carlsen tweeted ;)

Saturday, August 24, 2013

World Chess Championship 2013 Venue Inspection: World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has blogged about his Chennai visit from the Hyatt Regency.

"On the way to Chennai we (me and my manager, my father, a chef and a few media representatives from Norway) had a short stop in Doha, Qatar.

"The combination of evening darkness and a humid +37C wind was pretty exotic for Norwegians. And it made Chennai and +30 seem rather cool and pleasant upon arrival.

"We arrived in the middle of the night and were greeted at the airport by a hospitable and friendly group of representatives from the Indian and state Chess Federations headed by FIDE vice-president president Sundar.

"The playing venue and players hotel is the five star Hyatt Regency in the centre of Chennai. We are staying there now, and Sunday we were shown the planned playing venue and the other facilities of the hotel.

"The organisers, the hotel staff and everyone involved have been very helpful and shown great hospitality. Monday we visited a girls' college for a simultaneous display and a press conference. The interest and atmosphere was quite overwhelming. The group of young opponents was surprisingly strong with master players and titled players mainly. Still, the +10-4=6 score was not what I’m used to. India certainly has a bright future as a chess nation☺

"In the evening the Minister-Counseller of the Norwegian Embassy hosted a friendly reception for the players, their parents and guests of the Embassy, the Norwegian Honorary Consular in Chennai and the Chess Federations."Tuesday evening I’m heading back to Norway after a successful inspection visit. More than ever, I look forward to the World Championship match against Anand in November.

"Before going to Chennai I spent a fortnight on a training camp at the Kragerø Resort on the Norwegian south coast and participated in sponsor events with Arctic Securities and my new main sponsor Nordic Semiconductor!"Early September I’ll leave for St.Louis in the US for the Sinquefield Chess Cup playing against Aronian, Nakamura and Kamsky. Looking forward to a great event!

(A sponsoring agreement was signed between Arctic Securities and Magnus Carlsen when the latter became an International Grandmaster at the age of 13, the youngest at the time. Arctic Securities also host Carlsen's official online blog. Arctic Securities is an employee-owned investment bank, independent of all other financial institutions, with competence, integrity, discretion, agility and independent analysis as it's core values that it states to be represented by chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen.)

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We've been celebrating the World Chess Championship 2013. The new World Chess Champion is Magnus Carslen, but we will continue to post links, views, features surrounding the World Chess Championship 2013 for the sheer joy of having witnessed chess history being created. Feel free to share opinion, links, and even point out errors - no matter which side you have been cheering for. Let's just continue celebrating a historic chess event. (Email: editor@blackandwhiteindia.com)